The parent partnership service works alongside FISH to provide impartial information and advice to parent carers and other service users.

The parent partnership service provides impartial, confidential information, advice and support to parent carers of children aged 0-20 with special educational needs who live in the East Riding.

The service aims to empower parent carers to play an informed part in planning provision to meet their child’s needs. We aim to build partnerships between parents, schools, the Local Authority and others involved in the education and inclusion of children with special educational needs/disabilities.

We also encourage parents and carers to be involved in the development of local SEN policy and practice.

We provide impartial information and advice to help parents and carers look at possible options and to make decisions in the best interests of their child. We provide information and advice on:

school-based support – school action/school action plus;

support in the early years - early years action/plus;

Individual Education Plans (IEPs);

statutory assessment and statements of SEN;

education support services;

the roles and responsibilities of parents, schools, the local authority and other agencies;

exclusion from school;

local and national support groups and voluntary organisations;

resolving disagreements, mediation and appeals.

The service offers practical support to parents/carers by providing access to an Independent Parental Supporter (IPS).

An IPS is a volunteer who is independent of the decision making process. An IPS can help parent carers by providing a listening ear, obtaining information, helping to write letters or fill in forms.

They can also support parent carers at meetings in schools and can help them to put forward their views as part of the statutory assessment process.